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House of Commons

International Development Committee

Formal Minutes

Session 2006–07

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

Thursday 16 November 2006

Members Present:

Malcolm Bruce (in the Chair)

Richard Burden James Duddridge Mr Quentin Davies Joan Ruddock

1. HIV/AIDS: Marginalised groups and emerging epidemics Dr Anindya Chatterjee, Senior Adviser, Prevention and Public Policy, UNAIDS, Mr Kim Mulji, Executive Director for External Affairs, Naz Foundation International, and Mr Joseph O’Reilly, Senior Policy Adviser on Prevention, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Mr Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Ms Robin Gorna, Senior AIDS Adviser and Team Leader for Global AIDS Policy, Policy and Research Division, and Mr Andrew Rogerson, Head of Human Development Group, Policy and Research Division, DFID, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 21 November at 10.30am

Tuesday 21 November 2006

[MORNING SITTING]

Members Present:


John Barrett Mr Quentin Davies John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin Richard Burden Joan Ruddock

1. Department for International Development Departmental Report 2006 Draft Report, [Department for International Development Departmental Report 2006], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 7I]

2. The Committee’s programme of work (choice of inquiries) The Committee considered this matter. 3. Vietnam Resolved, that the Committee inquire into the Department for International Development’s Vietnam country programme. Resolved, that the Committee visit Vietnam in May or June 2007 and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the said visit. 4. Fair trade and Development Resolved, that the Committee inquire into Fair Trade and Development. 5. European Commission: trade and development Resolved, that the Committee visit the European Commission in Brussels in connection with trade and development matters. 6. Water and Sanitation Resolved, that Memoranda laid before the Committee be published [1-47] 7. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Resolved, that Memoranda laid before the Committee be published [1-34]

[Adjourned till this day at 4.20pm


[AFTERNOON SITTING]

[The Committee met concurrently with the Communities and Local Government Committee]

Members Present:

John Battle Mr Quentin Davies John Barrett Ann McKechin Malcolm Bruce

The following members of the Communities and Local Government Committee were also present, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A (Select committees: power to work with other committees);

Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Dr Phyllis Starkey John Cummings Emily Thornberry Martin Horwood

John Battle was called to the Chair. 1. Habitat III Mrs Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-Habitat and Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 28 November at 10.00 am.


Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Richard Burden Ann McKechin Mr Quentin Davies Joan Ruddock

1. HIV/AIDS: Marginalised groups and emerging epidemics Draft Report, [HIV/AIDS: Marginalised groups and emerging epidemics], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Second Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 46, p20] 2. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Alan Seatter, Head of Near East Unit, Directorate-General for External Relations, European Commission and David Shearer, Head of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 30 November at 2.15pm

Thursday 30 November 2006

Members Present:


John Barrett James Duddridge John Battle Ann McKechin Richard Burden Joan Ruddock Mr Quentin Davies Mr Marsha Singh

1. Water and Sanitation (Visit to Ethiopia) The Committee considered this matter. 2. Water and Sanitation Will Day, Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor, Kevin Watkins, Director, UN Development Programme Human Development Report, David Satterthwaite, International Institute for Environment and Development, Umesh Pandey, Nepal Water for Health, and Jack Moss, Aquafed, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 5 December at 10.00 am

Tuesday 5 December 2006

Members Present:


John Barrett Ann McKechin Hugh Bayley Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh James Duddridge

1. Water and Sanitation (Visit to Ethiopia) The Committee considered this matter. 2. Quadripartite Committee Meeting on 7 December The Committee considered this matter. 3. Water and Sanitation

Mark Lowcock, Director General for Policy and International, Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Head, Sustainable Development Group, Policy and Research Division, Greg Briffa, Team Leader, Water, Energy and Transport, Sustainable Development Group, Ian Curtis, Senior Adviser on Growth, Africa Policy Department, Department for International Development; and Antonio García Fragío, Head of Division, DG Development, European Commission, Sering Jallow, Principal Sanitary Engineer and Acting Manager in the Water and Sanitation Department, African Development Bank, and Stephen Turner, Director, Public Policy and Education, WaterAid, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 12 December at 10.00am.

Tuesday 12 December 2006

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin Richard Burden Joan Ruddock

1. Proposed visit to Brussels The Committee considered this matter. 2. Fair Trade and Development The Committee considered this matter. 3. Afghanistan The Committee considered this matter. 4. Water and Sanitation Professor Sandy Cairncross, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Darren Saywell, Regional Director, International Water Association, Laura Webster, Senior Policy Officer, Tearfund, Professor Tom Franks, University of Bradford, Antonio Miranda, Director International Affairs, ASSEMAE, and Vicky Cann, Campaign Policy Officer, World Development Movement, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 14 December at 2.00pm.

Thursday 14 December 2006

Members Present:


John Barrett Mr Quentin Davies John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh

1. Government Response to the Committee’s Report on Conflict and Development Draft Special Report [Conflict and Development: Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Resolution: Government Response to the Committee’s Sixth Report of Session 2005-06], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the First Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Sixth Report from the Committee, Session 2005-06 be appended to the Report.

2. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories The Committee considered this matter. 3. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development, Martin Dinham, Director, Europe, Middle East, the Americas and East Asia Division, David Hallam, Head, DFID Palestinian Programme, Department for International Development, and Peter Gooderham, Director, Middle East and North Africa, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 16 January at 10.00 am.

Tuesday 16 January 2007

Members Present:


John Barrett James Duddridge John Battle Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh

1. Work of the Committee 2005-06

Draft Report, [Work of the Committee 2005-06], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Third Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 228]

2. Government Response to the Committee’s Report on Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters Draft Special Report [Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters: Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2005-06], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Second Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Seventh Report from the Committee, Session 2005-06, and a letter to the Committee from the UK Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, be appended to the Report.

3. Water and Sanitation: Written evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Water and Sanitation be published on the internet as follows:

WAS WE 24a World Development Movement WAS WE 48 UN Habitat WAS WE 49 European Commission WAS WE 50 Professor Sandy Cairncross et al ,

4. DFID Assistance and the OPTs: Written evidence

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories be published on the internet as follows:

PAL WE 28a Board of Deputies of British Jews PAL WE 02a Palestine Platform PAL WE 02b Welfare Association PAL WE 01a Alan Davis PAL WE 35 Alan Seatter, European Commission

5. Water and Sanitation inquiry: visit to Ethiopia The Committee considered this matter.

6. Visit to Brussels

The Committee considered this matter.

7. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories The Committee considered this matter.

8. Water and Sanitation

John Chilton, Principal Hydrogeologist, Groundwater Programme, British Geological Survey, Dr Declan Conway, Senior Lecturer, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, and Dr David Tickner, Head, Freshwater Programme, WWF-UK, gave oral evidence.

9. Water and Sanitation inquiry The Committee considered this matter.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 23 January at 10.00 am in Brussels.

Monday 22 January – Tuesday 23 January 2007 The Chairman, Hugh Bayley, Richard Burden, Mr Quentin Davies, James Duddridge, Ann McKechin, Joan Ruddock and Mr Marsha Singh visited Brussels in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into EU Trade and Development Issues in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 21 November 2006.

Tuesday 23 January 2007

The Committee met at the European Commission’s offices in Brussels

Members Present:


Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin Richard Burden Joan Ruddock Mr Quentin Davies Mr Marsha Singh James Duddridge

1. EU Trade and Development Issues

Mr Bernard Petit, Deputy Director-General Development, and Mr André Liebaert, Water Policy Adviser, Directorate-General Development; and the Rt Hon Peter Mandelson, Commissioner for Trade, and Mr Peter Thompson, Director, Directorate-General Trade, European Commission, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 24 January at 9.30 am

Wednesday 24 January 2007

Members Present:



1. Conference of Development Committee Chairmen, Berlin, 18–19 March

Resolved, that the Chairman and a member of staff visit Berlin in March to attend the Conference of Chairmen of Development Committees of the EU Member States in a representative capacity, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

2. Conference of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank, Cape Town, 16–19 March

Resolved, that members of the Committee and a member of staff visit Cape Town in March to attend the Conference of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank in a representative capacity, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

3. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Draft Report, [Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fourth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 114-I]

[Adjourned till Tuesday 20 February at 10.00 am

Thursday 1 February – Thursday 8 February 2007 The Chairman, John Barrett, John Battle, Hugh Bayley, John Bercow, Richard Burden, Mr Quentin Davies, James Duddridge, Ann McKechin, Joan Ruddock and Mr Marsha Singh visited Ethiopia in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into Sanitation and Water, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 10 October 2006.

Tuesday 20 February 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge John Bercow Ann McKechin Richard Burden Joan Ruddock Mr Quentin Davies

1. Government Response to the Committee’s Report on the Department for International

Development Departmental Report 2006 Draft Special Report [Department for International Development Departmental Report 2006: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2006-07], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Third Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the First Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

2. Government Response to the Committee’s Report on HIV/AIDS: Marginalised groups

and emerging epidemics Draft Special Report [HIV/AIDS: Marginalised groups and emerging epidemics: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2006-07], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Fourth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Second Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

3. Informal Meeting with the Secretary of State The Committee considered this matter.

4. Fair Trade and Development: Written Evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Fair Trade and Development be published on the internet as follows:

FT 01 Tropical Wholefoods/FM Foods Ltd FT 02 Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund FT 03 Progressio (on behalf of Liders) FT 04 Shared Interest Society Limited FT 05, 05a-b Banana Link FT 06 Caribbean Banana Exporters Association FT 07 Divine Chocolate Ltd FT 08 International Institute for Environment and Development FT 09 Marks & Spencer FT 10 Liverpool Business School FT 11 Ethical Trading Initiative FT 12 Masterfoods FT 13 The Co-operative Group FT 14 Twin and Twin Trading Ltd FT 15 Biscuit Cake Chocolate & Confectionery Association FT 16 The Fairtrade Foundation

FT 17 People Tree FT 18 Business Action for Africa FT 19 Traidcraft FT 20 ActionAid UK FT 21 CaféDirect FT 22 DFID FT 23 The Co-operative Party

5. Visit to Vietnam and the Thai/Burma border

The Committee considered this matter. Resolved, that the Committee visit Vietnam and the Thai-Burma border in May 2007 in connection with the inquiries into DFID’s programme in Vietnam and DFID Assistance to Burmese IDPs and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

6. Water and Sanitation

The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development, Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Head of Sustainable Development Group, Policy and Research Division, Greg Briffa, Team Leader, Water, Sanitation, Energy & Transport, Sustainable Development Group, Policy and Research Division, and Ian Curtis, Senior Adviser on Growth, Pan-Africa Strategy Department, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 27 February at 10.00 am

Tuesday 27 February 2007

Members Present:

Malcolm Bruce, in the Chair


1. Informal Meeting with the Secretary of State


2. Oral evidence on Cross-departmental Working on Trade and Development The Committee considered this matter.

3. Inquiry into Fair Trade and Development


4. Inquiry into Fair Trade and Development Hon Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Harriet Lamb CBE, Executive Director, Fairtrade Foundation; and Sandra Taylor, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Cliff Burrows, Senior Vice President and President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Starbucks Coffee Company and Mike Barry, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Marks & Spencer gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 6 March at 10.30 am.

Tuesday 6 March 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh

1. Visit to Vietnam and the Thai-Burma Border


2. Inquiry into DFID’s Country Programme in Vietnam The Committee considered this matter.

3. Inquiry into DFID’s Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border The Committee considered this matter.

4. EU Development and Trade Policies: An update Draft Report, [EU Development and Trade Policies: An update], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fifth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 271, p.23.]

5. Financial Scrutiny and Spring Supplementary Estimates The Committee considered this matter.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 13 March at 10.00 am.


Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge John Barrett Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden

1. Visit to Edinburgh and DFID East Kilbride

Resolved, That the Committee visit Edinburgh, to discuss international development with the Scottish Parliament, and DFID’s offices in East Kilbride.

2. Administrative arrangements for committee meetings


3. Evidence session with the Minister for Trade The Committee considered this matter.

4. Meeting of the Quadripartite Committee The Committee considered this matter.

5. Fair Trade and Development

Mr Monjurul Haque, Artisan Hut Bangladesh, Safia Minney, Director, People Tree, Erica Kyere, Information and Education Officer, Kuapa Kokoo Limited, and Sophi Tranchell, Managing Director, Divine Chocolate Limited; and Hilary Parsons, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Nestlé, Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury's Own Brand, Sainsbury’s and Emma Reynolds, Government Affairs Manager, Tesco, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 15 March at 2.45 pm.

Thursday 15 March 2007

The Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry Committees met concurrently, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A.

Members present

Defence Committee Foreign Affairs Committee


Trade and Industry Committee

Mr David S Borrow Linda Gilroy Robert Key

Mr David Heathcoat- Amory Sir John Stanley

Malcolm Bruce Richard Burden

Roger Berry Peter Luff Judy Mallaber

1. Chairman

Roger Berry was called to the Chair, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A(1)(d).

2. Strategic export controls and review of export control legislation

The Committees considered the course of their inquiry and deliberated in accordance with Standing Order No. 137A(1)(b).

Resolved, that a Memorandum laid before the Committees be published [28].

3. Oral evidence

Margaret Beckett MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Paul Arkwright, Head of Counter Proliferation Department, and Mariot Leslie, Director for Defence and Strategic Threats, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave oral evidence.

[Defence Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 20 March at 10.00 am Foreign Affairs Committee Adjourned till Wednesday 21 March at 9.30 am

International Development Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 27 March at 10.00 am Trade and Industry Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 27 March at 10.30 am]

Friday 16 March – Monday 19 March 2007 Hugh Bayley, Mr Quentin Davies and the Committee Specialist visited Cape Town to attend the Conference of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 24 January 2007.

Sunday 18 March – Monday 19 March 2007 The Chairman and the Second Clerk visited Berlin to attend the Conference of Development Committee Chairmen in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 24 January 2007.


Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge John Barrett Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Mr Quentin Davies

1. Review of Select Committee Resources


2. Government Response to the Committee’s Report on Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Draft Special Report [Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2006-07], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Fifth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Fourth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

3. Visit to Vietnam and the Thai-Burma Border The Committee considered this matter.

4. Inquiry into Sanitation and Water The Committee considered this matter.

5. Written evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Fair Trade and Development be published on the internet as follows:

FT 24 Starbucks Coffee Company (UK) Limited FT 25 and 25a J Sainsbury plc FT 26 Simon Forster FT 27 Tesco UK Ltd FT 28 War on Want FT 29 TUC FT 30 Zaytoun

In the absence of the Chairman, John Battle was called to the Chair.

6. Inquiry into Fair Trade and Development Professor Douglas Holt, Said Business School, University of Oxford, and Sheila Page, Overseas Development Institute; Owen Tudor, Head, European Union and International Relations Department, Trades Union Congress and Bert Schouwenburg, Regional Organiser, GMB London region; and Michael Gidney, Policy Director, and Paul Chandler, Chief Executive, Traidcraft, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 17 April at 10.00 am.

Tuesday 17 April 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh Mr Quentin Davies

1. Sanitation and Water

Draft Report, [Sanitation and Water], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Sixth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 126-I, p 74]

2. Written evidence

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Fair Trade and Development be published on the internet as follows:

FT 07a Divine Chocolate Ltd FT 16a Fairtrade Foundation FT 27a Tesco UK Ltd FT 31 Nestlé UK Ltd

3. Fair Trade and Development

Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development, Owen Barder, Director, Global Development Effectiveness Division, DFID, Laura Kelly, Senior Agriculture and Trade Adviser, International Trade Department, Global Development Effectiveness Division, DFID, and Amanda Brooks, Director, Trade Negotiations and Development, Europe and World Trade Department, Department of Trade and Industry, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 24 April at 10.00 am.

Tuesday 24 April 2007

Members Present:


John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh James Duddridge Sir Robert Smith Ann McKechin

1. Declaration of interests: new member of the Committee

Sir Robert Smith disclosed his interests, pursuant to the resolution of the House of 13 July 1992 as follows:

Visit to Stavanger, Norway, 22-26 August 2006, to visit Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) conference and exhibition, with the British Offshore Oil and Gas Industry All-Party Parliamentary Group. Overseas flights, hotel accommodation, local transport and hospitality sponsored by the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA), Shell, Chevron, BP,Exxon Mobil, and Statoil. Visit to Calgary, Canada, 13-15 December 2006, as Vice-Chair of UK Offshore Oil and Gas All-Party Parliamentary Group, on BA inaugural flight. Flight and two nights' accommodation provided by British Airways.

2. Inquiry into Fair Trade and Development


3. The Committee’s programme of work (choice of inquiries) The Committee considered this matter.

4. Visit to Vietnam and Thailand The Committee considered this matter.

5. Written evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border be published on the internet as follows:

ThB 1 Ashley South ThB 2 Christian Solidarity Worldwide UK ThB 6 Free Burma Rangers ThB 7 Lisa Smeaton ThB 8 Paul Sztumpf ThB 9 Karen Human Rights Group ThB 10 International Campaign: Federation of Trade Union Burma ThB 12 Peter Sagar ThB 13 Mae Tao Clinic ThB 14 The Peace Way Foundation: Burma Issues ThB 15 Mr. Patrick Proctor ThB 19 Guy Horton ThB 21 Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children ThB 22 Mon Relief and Development Committee ThB 23 Burma Campaign UK ThB 24 Women League of Chinland ThB 25 Karen Womens Association ThB 26 Committee for internally Displaced Karen People ThB 28 Department for International Development

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into DFID’s country programme in Vietnam be published on the internet as follows:

V1 Department for International Development

[Adjourned till Wednesday 23 May at 9.45 am

Wednesday 9 May – Thursday 17 May 2007

The Chairman, John Battle, John Bercow, Richard Burden, Ann McKechin, Sir Robert Smith and Mr Marsha Singh, visited Vietnam and Thailand in connection with the Committee’s inquiries into DFID’s Programme in Vietnam and DFID Assistance to Burmese IDPs and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 20 February 2007.

Wednesday 23 May 2007

Members Present:


John Battle Mr Quentin Davies Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Sir Robert Smith Richard Burden

1. Informal meeting with the DFID Secretary of State, 5 June


2. Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Invitation from the Swedish Parliament Ordered, That the Chairman, Richard Burden, Mr Quentin Davies and a member of committee staff visit Sweden in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

3. Fair Trade and Development The Committee considered this matter.

4. DFID’s Country Programme in Vietnam

The Committee considered this matter. 5. DFID assistance to Burmese internally displaced people and refugees on the Thai-Burma

border The Committee considered this matter.

6. Visit to Vietnam and Thailand

The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned till Tuesday 5 June at 10.00 am

Tuesday 5 June 2007

Members Present:


Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Mr Marsha Singh Richard Burden Sir Robert Smith Mr Quentin Davies

1. EU Development and Trade Polices: An update

Draft Special Report [EU Development and Trade Polices: An update: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2006-07], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Sixth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Fifth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

2. Conflict and Development: Northern Uganda The Committee considered this matter.

3. Maternal Health Resolved, that the Committee inquire into Maternal Health.

4. Quadripartite Committee The Committee considered this matter.

5. Visits to Afghanistan and Washington DC Resolved, that the Committee visit Afghanistan in October 2007 and Washington DC in November 2007 and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for funding in connection with the said visits.

6. Fair Trade and Development Draft Report, [Fair Trade and Development], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time.

[The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Seventh Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 356-I, p 43]

[Adjourned till Thursday 7 June at 10.00 am

Thursday 7 June 2007

Members Present:


John Battle Mr Quentin Davies Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Sir Robert Smith Richard Burden

In the temporary absence of the Chairman, John Battle was called to the Chair for part of the meeting.

1. Visit to Scotland, June 2007 The Committee considered this matter.

2. DFID Ministerial complement The Committee considered this matter.

3. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma border John Bercow declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the inquiry in that Christian Solidarity Worldwide sponsored a visit by him to the Thai-Burma border in 2004. Benedict Rogers, South Asia Research and Advocacy Officer, Christian Solidarity Worldwide UK, and Mark Farmaner, Acting Director, Burma Campaign UK; Dr Thomas Lee, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 11 June at 3.30 pm

Monday 11 June 2007


Members present




Linda Gilroy Robert Key

Mike Gapes Sir John Stanley

Malcolm Bruce Richard Burden

Roger Berry Peter Luff Judy Mallaber

1. Chairman

Roger Berry was called to the Chair, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A(1)(d).

2. Strategic export controls and review of export control legislation

The Committees considered the course of their inquiry and deliberated in accordance with Standing Order No. 137A(1)(b).

[Defence Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 12 June at 4.30 pm Foreign Affairs Committee Adjourned till Wednesday 13 June at 2.00 pm

International Development Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 12 June at 10.00 am Trade and Industry Committee Adjourned till Tuesday 12 June at 10.15 am

Tuesday 12 June 2007

Members Present:


John Battle Ann McKechin John Bercow Mr Marsha Singh James Duddridge Sir Robert Smith

1. DFID’s Departmental Annual Report 2007

The Committee considered this matter. 2. Informal briefing by the National Audit Office


3. Estimates Day Debate (Sanitation and Water) The Committee considered this matter.

4. Conflict and Development: Northern Uganda


5. Field visits (invitations from the World Bank and BOND) The Committee considered this matter.

6. Written evidence

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border be published on the internet as follows:

ThB 11 Save the Children ThB 33 Dr Alan Smith ThB 34 Oxfam GB East Asia ThB 35 Euro-Burma Office

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into DFID’s country programme in Vietnam be published on the internet as follows:

V 2 Dr Martin Gainsborough V 3 Professor Bob Orskov

7. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-

Burma border The Committee considered this matter. Ray Hasan, Christian Aid, Linda Doull, Merlin, and Leo Bryant, Marie Stopes International, gave oral evidence. Resolved, That the Committee now sit in private. Ray Hasan, Christian Aid, gave further oral evidence. Ordered, That the public now be re-admitted. Dr Zarni, Department of International Development, University of Oxford, and Ashley South, independent consultant, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 19 June at 10.00 am

Wednesday 13 June – Thursday 14 June 2007 The Chairman, Richard Burden and the Committee Specialist visited Stockholm in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 23 May 2007.

Tuesday 19 June 2007

Members Present: Malcolm Bruce, in the Chair

Hugh Bayley Joan Ruddock James Duddridge Sir Robert Smith Ann McKechin

1. DFID Ministerial Complement

The Committee considered this matter. 2. Quadripartite Committee (designated members)

The Committee considered this matter. 3. Visit to Afghanistan

The Committee considered this matter. 4. DFID’s Country Programme in Vietnam

Dr Martin Gainsborough, Director, Bristol-Mekong Project, University of Bristol and Ramesh Singh, Chief Executive, ActionAid International, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 21 June at 1.45 pm

Thursday 21 June 2007

Members Present:


John Bercow Joan Ruddock Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh Ann McKechin Sir Robert Smith

1. Written evidence

Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border be published on the internet as follows:

ThB 36 UN Development Programme ThB 37 UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs ThB 39 Dr Maung Zarni

2. Inquiry into DFID Departmental Report 2007

The Committee considered this matter. 3. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-

Burma Border The Committee considered this matter. Maung Maung, General Secretary, National Council of the Union of Burma and President, Burma Institute for Democracy and Development; Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development, Rurik Marsden, First Secretary - DFID, British Embassy Burma, Rt Hon Ian McCartney MP, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Nick Alexander Head of Burma and Mekong Team, Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave oral evidence.

4. DFID’s Country Programme in Vietnam

The Committee considered this matter . Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, DFID and Donal Brown, Head of DFID Vietnam, Department for International Development gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 4 July at 9.30 am

Wednesday 27 June – Thursday 28 June 2007

The Chairman, John Battle, Hugh Bayley, Ann McKechin, James Duddridge and Sir Robert Smith visited Edinburgh and East Kilbride in accordance with the Committee decision of 13 March 2007.

Wednesday 4 July 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin John Bercow Mr Marsha Singh Mr Quentin Davies Sir Robert Smith

1. Sanitation and Water

Draft Special Report [Sanitation and Water: Government Response to the Committee’s Sixth Report of Session 2006-07], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Seventh Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Sixth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

2. Overseas visits (Afghanistan, Washington DC, China) The Committee considered this matter.

3. Quadripartite Committee The Committee considered this matter.

4. Cross-Departmental Working on Development The Committee considered this matter.

5. Written evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Uganda be published on the internet as follows: Ug 1, 1A, 1B Department for International Development Ug 2 International Crisis Group

Ug 3 Norwegian Refugee Council Ug 4 CAFOD, Christian Aid, Conciliation Resources, Quakers and World

Vision Ug 5 Saferworld Ug 6 International Center for Transitional Justice Ug 7 Friends of Northern Uganda

6. Death of Mr Piara S Khabra MP

The Committee considered this matter. 7. Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Uganda

Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and Eric Hawthorn, Head of DFID Uganda, Department for International Development; and Meg Munn MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and Robin Gwynn, Head of Africa Department (Equatorial), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and Marieke Wierda, International Centre for Transitional Justice, Nick Grono, International Crisis Group, and Barney Afako, Ugandan Human Rights Lawyer, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 10 July at 10.30 am

Tuesday 10 July 2007

Members Present:


Hugh Bayley James Duddridge John Bercow Ann McKechin Richard Burden Sir Robert Smith

1. DFID Ministerial responsibilities


2. Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Uganda The Committee considered this matter.

3. DFID’s Programme in Vietnam The Committee considered this matter.

4. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border


5. Afghanistan Resolved, that the Committee inquire into Development Assistance in Insecure Environments: Afghanistan.

6. DFID and the World Bank Resolved, that the Committee inquire into DFID and the World Bank. Hugh Bayley declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the inquiry into DFID and the World Bank as a Board Member of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank.

7. Cross-Departmental Working on Development The Committee considered this matter.

8. Oral evidence from new Ministers The Committee considered this matter.

9. Written evidence Resolved, that written evidence received in the inquiry into the DFID Annual Report 2007 be published on the internet as follows: DAR07 1 Harvesthelp, Farm Africa and Send a Cow DAR07 2 LAMB Health Care Foundation DAR07 3 Sightsavers International DAR07 4 Overseas Development Institute DAR07 5 HealthProm DAR07 6 UK Gender and Development Network DAR07 7 International Rescue Committee UK DAR07 8 Plan UK DAR07 9 ActionAid International DAR07 10 Leonard Cheshire International DAR07 11 UK Forum on Agricultural Research for Development DAR07 12 UK Aid Network DAR07 13 Tearfund DAR07 14 Oxfam GB DAR07 15 Civio Public Policy Consulting DAR07 16 WWF-UK DAR07 17 Department for International Development

10. Visit to DFID London Headquarters


11. Overseas visits (China, Africa) The Committee considered this matter.

12. The Committee’s programme of work (choice of inquiries) The Committee considered this matter.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 17 July at 10.00 am

Tuesday 17 July 2007

Members Present:


John Battle Ann McKechin Hugh Bayley Mr Marsha Singh John Bercow Sir Robert Smith Richard Burden

1. Department for International Development’s Programme in Vietnam

Draft Report, [Department for International Development’s Programme in Vietnam], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Eighth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 732, p 28]

2. Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Uganda Draft Report, [Prospects for Sustainable Peace in Uganda], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Ninth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 853, p 22]

3. DFID Annual Report 2007 Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary, Mark Lowcock, Director General, Policy and International, Nemat Shafik, Director General, Country Programmes, and Sue Owen, Director General, Corporate Performance, Department for International Development, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 18 July at 10.00 am

Wednesday 18 July 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge John Bercow Ann McKechin Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh Mr Quentin Davies Sir Robert Smith

1. Development Assistance in Insecure Environments: Afghanistan


2. Cross-departmental Working on Development and Trade The Committee considered this matter.

3. Maternal Health


4. Overseas visits (Washington DC, Afghanistan) The Committee considered this matter.

4. Conference of Development Committee Chairmen, Lisbon, 8-9 October 2007

Resolved, that the Chairman and a member of staff visit Lisbon in October to attend the Conference of Chairmen of Development Committees of the EU Member States in a representative capacity, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

5. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border Draft Report, [DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first time. [The draft Report was agreed to: the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Tenth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 645-I, p 49]

[Adjourned till Monday 23 July at 3.30 pm

Monday 23 July 2007


Members present:




Mr James Arbuthnot Mr David S Borrow Mr David Crausby Robert Key

Mike Gapes Mr Fabian Hamilton Mr John Horam Sir John Stanley

Malcolm Bruce Richard Burden Mr James Duddridge

Roger Berry Mr Brian Binley Mr Lindsay Hoyle Judy Mallaber

1. Chairman Mr Roger Berry was called to the Chair, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A(1)(d). 2. Strategic export controls and review of export control legislation The Committees deliberated, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A(1)(b).

3. Draft Report: Strategic Export Controls 2007 Review Draft Report (The Quadripartite Committee’s 2007 review of export controls), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. Ordered, That the Chairman’s draft Report be considered concurrently, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A (1)(c). Ordered, That the Chairman’s draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph. Paragraphs 1 to 393 read and agreed to. The following Annex to the Report read and agreed: List of offences committed overseas for which a British citizen could be prosecuted in the United kingdom.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Committees withdrew.


Richard Burden Mr James Duddridge

Resolved, That the draft Report (The Quadripartite Committee’s 2007 review of export controls), prepared by the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry Committees, be the Eleventh Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the provisions of Standing Order No. 137A(2) be applied to the Report.

Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No.134 (Select committees (reports)).

Several Papers were ordered to be appended to the Minutes of Evidence.

Several Memoranda were ordered to be reported to the House for printing with the Report , together with certain Memoranda reported and ordered to be published on 7 December, 1 and 15 March.

Ordered, That Roger Berry make the Joint Report to the House.

[Adjourned till Thursday 11 October at 2.00 pm

Monday 8 October – Tuesday 9 October 2007

The Chairman and the Second Clerk visited Lisbon to attend the Conference of Foreign Affairs Committee Chairmen in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 18 July 2007.

Thursday 11 October 2007

Members Present:


John Battle Ann McKechin Hugh Bayley Mr Marsha Singh Richard Burden Sir Robert Smith James Duddridge

1. Overseas visit: Afghanistan


2. Fair Trade and Development Draft Special Report [Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2006-07: Fair Trade and Development], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report be the Eighth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Seventh Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

3. DFID’s Programme in Vietnam

Draft Special Report [Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2006-07: DFID’s Programme in Vietnam], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Ninth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Eighth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

4. Prospects for sustainable peace in Uganda Draft Special Report [Government Response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Session 2006-07: Prospects for sustainable peace in Uganda], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Tenth Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That the Government’s response to the Ninth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.

5. Written evidence

Resolved, that written evidence received in connection with the Committee’s inquiries be published on the internet as follows: Maternal Health MH 01 Tadeyose Belay MH 02 International Rescue Committee UK MH 03 All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive

Health MH 04 Support to Safe Motherhood Programme MH 05 World Vision UK

MH 06 Stop the Traffik MH 07 YozuMannion Limited MH 08 Peoples Health Movement and Global Health Watch MH 09 Maternity Worldwide MH 10 IMMPACT, University of Aberdeen MH 11 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine MH 12 Plan International UK MH 13 Merlin MH 14 Cara International Consulting Ltd. MH 15 Director RCOG International Office MH 16 Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health MH 17 International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) MH 18 Institute of Development Studies MH 19 Nestlé UK MH 20 Marie Stopes International MH 21 Reproductive Health Access, Information and Services in Emergencies (RAISE)

Initiative MH 22 UK Network on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Maternal Health

Working Group MH 23 DFID

Cross-departmental Working on Development and Trade CD 1 British Geological Survey CD 2 Stop the Traffik CD 3 Export Group for Aerospace & Defence CD 4 Christian Aid CD 5 The City Corporation: Office of the City Remembrancer, Parliamentary Agency to

the City of London CD 6 One World Action CD 7 Department for International Development CD 8 Campaign Against Arms Trade CD 9 UNICORN CD 10 Transparency International (UK) CD 11 Trades Union Congress CD 12 The Corner House CD 13 Confederation of British Industry CD 14 Traidcraft

Development Assistance in Insecure Environments: Afghanistan AF07 1 WOMANKIND Worldwide AF07 2 Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK) AF07 3 Action Aid

AF07 4 Stop the Traffik AF07 5 Afghanaid AF07 6 Christian Aid AF07 7 Merlin AF07 8 Medecins du Monde UK AF07 9 British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG) Refugee Council AF07 10 Department for International Development AF07 11 The Senlis Council

[Adjourned till Tuesday 16 October at 10.00 am

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Members Present:


John Battle James Duddridge Hugh Bayley Ann McKechin Richard Burden Sir Robert Smith Mr Quentin Davies

1. EU Presidency Seminar on Africa, Lisbon, 7-9 November 2007 Resolved, that the Chairman and a member of staff visit Lisbon in November to attend the EU Presidency Seminar on Africa in a representative capacity, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit. 2. Maternal Health

The Committee considered this matter . Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director and UN Under Secretary-General, Dr Francisco Songane, Director, Partnership For Maternal, Newborn & Child Health; and Dr Grace Kodindo, Assistant Professor of Emergency Obstetrics Care, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 17 October at 9.00 am

Wednesday 17 October 2007

Members Present:


John Bercow Ann McKechin James Duddridge Sir Robert Smith

1. Cross-departmental Working on Development and Trade

The Committee considered this matter . Sir Robert Smith declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the inquiry as a share-holder in companies involved in extraction of natural resources, as set out in the Register of Members’ Interests.

Michael Gidney, Director of Policy, Traidcraft, Professor Alan Winters, Department of Economics, University of Sussex; Gavin Hayman, Campaigns Director, Global Witness; Professor Mark Pieth, Chairman, OECD Working Group on Bribery, and Robert Ley, Counsellor to the Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 18 October at 2.00 pm

Thursday 18 October 2007

Members Present:


John Bercow Sir Robert Smith Ann McKechin

1. DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-

Burma Border Draft Special Report [Responses to the Committee’s Tenth Report of Session 2006-07: DFID Assistance to Burmese Internally Displaced People and Refugees on the Thai-Burma Border], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read the first and second time, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Eleventh Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That the Responses to the Tenth Report from the Committee, Session 2006-07, be appended to the Report.


The Committee considered this matter. 3. Cross-departmental Working on Development and Trade

Sir Robert Smith declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the inquiry as a share-holder in companies involved in extraction of natural resources, as set out in the Register of Members’ Interests.

Mr Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development and Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Edmund Hosker, Director, Trade Policy Unit, DFID/BERR, and Piers Harrison, Team Leader, Financial Accountability and Anti-Corruption Team, DFID, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 23 October at 10.00 am

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Members Present:


Richard Burden Mr Marsha Singh James Duddridge Sir Robert Smith Ann McKechin

1. Maternal Health (appointment of Specialist Advisers) Ordered, That Professor Wendy Graham and Regina Keith be appointed Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee in matters relating to its inquiry into maternal health.

2. Overseas visits (Afghanistan, Washington DC) The Committee considered this matter.


Jim Drummond, Director, South Asia Division, Lindy Cameron, former Head of DFID Afghanistan, DFID, and Peter Holland, Head of the Afghan Drugs Inter-Departmental Unit, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 13 November at 10.00 am

Wednesday 24 October – Friday 2 November 2007 The Chairman, Hugh Bayley, Richard Burden, James Duddridge, Ann McKechin, Sir Robert Smith and Mr Marsha Singh visited Afghanistan in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into Development Assistance in Insecure Environments: Afghanistan in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 5 June 2007.

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